Limiting Exposure

Science standards for Pennsylvania schools that have been three years in the works were finally approved by the state Board of Education on 13 July, 2001, but not before generating much controversy.

Science standards
for Pennsylvania (USA) schools that have been three years in the works
were finally approved by the state Board of Education (in a 13-2 vote)
on 13 July, 2001, but not before generating much controversy.

A previous version
of the standards did not mention “creationism,” but did require that students
be able to “analyze evidence of fossil records, similarities in body structures,
embryological studies and DNA studies that support or do not support the
theory of evolution.”1 Of course, as with any challenge to
a firmly entrenched belief system, the wording generated uproar, drawing
120 letters from mostly scientists. Critics believed it could “open the
door to the teaching of creationism, the biblical account that the world
and all living things were created in six days.”2 The wording
was replaced with, “analyze data from fossil records, similarities in
anatomy and physiology, embryological studies and DNA studies that are
relevant to the theory of evolution.” 3

Commenting on the
change, State Senator James Rhoades (chairman of the state Senate Committee
on Education) said, “It’s almost as if we don’t want to let the light
shine in. Are we limiting the ability for a mind to be exposed to as much
as it can?”4

We would agree with
the sentiments of Senator Rhoades and Mr Wittig. Indeed, if “evolution”
were the robust scientific theory many would have us believe it to be,
then it should be able to stand up under critical analysis. However, the
alarm exhibited by the scientists and other opponents to the previous
version of the standards seems to indicate that “evolution” may not be
all it’s cracked up to be. In fact, our Website features many articles
about alleged “proofs” of evolution (e.g. hermaphrodites,
new plant colours, “vestigial”
organs, embryonic recapitulation, mutations,
natural selection), showing
that these “proofs” invariably turn out to be nothing of the kind.

“Evolution” should
be taught (as an important belief/idea), but students” exposure to critiques
of this view should not be limited.

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Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ effectively. We focus on providing answers to questions about the Bible—particularly the book of Genesis—regarding key issues such as creation, evolution, science, and the age of the earth.